A tractor has been seized by police after drivers spotted it being driven along one of the country's busiest motorways.

The Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) said the bright red tractor was spotted travelling at "low speed" on the southbound carriageway of the M6 near Birmingham in the West Midlands at about 5.25am today.

Tractors are banned from using the motorway network.

Inspector Mark Watkins said when the tractor stopped, the male driver was unaware he was breaking the law and was later found to be uninsured.

The Case-built tractor was seized by officers and the driver left to make his own way home, Mr Watkins added.

Police said they "received a few calls" about the tractor as it was driven between spaghetti junction in Birmingham and junction 5, with concerned motorists "shocked and worried that the slow nature of the tractor could create a hazard".

Mr Watkins said: "To see such a vehicle travelling on such a busy stretch of road was both unusual and quite a surprise for the patrol officers.

"Tractors are one of the various prohibited vehicles on the motorway network - a fact that the driver seemed to be unaware of.

"We received a few calls at around the time we stopped the tractor from concerned motorists."

He added: "It was unclear where the driver was taking the tractor to and how far he was planning to travel along the network for but, either way, taking the tractor on to the motorway posed a risk to himself and others, whilst breaking the law.

"The driver was left to make his own way home - minus his expensive tractor."